Why Firing McDermott Was Right—and Why the Media Still Doesn’t Get It

[The Jokeman]

2 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

I dont think it was an emotional decision.  I suspect it was decided at some point during the regular season unless the made or won the Superbowl (probably).  Pegula just said that to take all the heat on himself.

 

There were signs with what McDermott was saying IMO.  He seemed to really try to tug at the heart strings for the last game at the stadium, above and beyond.  Also, him throwing so many accolades at Myers and Jacksonville getting him was an obvious attempt to sow discontent.  He knew.  I also think players knew which explains the emotional response in the lockerroom after the game and I remember Sal saying the locker clean out seemed a bit more emotional than in the past.  

 

 

I think the shock and anxiety of the unknown threw a lot of people for a loop, including the media.  WGR was in the middle of ranting about coaching and needing change, McDermott got fired and they immediately changed gears to a Beane smear campaign for the remainder of the week.  I myself got nervous.  No good candidates, McDermott seems so well put-together, stability is gone, will this be another drought?  

 

 

But now, hearing about this Udinski and the possibility of a real defense makes me super excited.

I'm curious of the real defense as I can't see us getting Schwartz since the two coaches have no ties to one another and in most coaching situations guys hire guys they know. 

[May Day 10]

1 minute ago, The Jokeman said:

I'm curious of the real defense as I can't see us getting Schwartz since the two coaches have no ties to one another and in most coaching situations guys hire guys they know. 

 

A real defense means not a perpetual nickel, with small brittle players, giant D-line rotation, and bend/break in nearly every important drive.

[The Jokeman]

Just now, May Day 10 said:

 

A real defense means not a perpetual nickel, with small brittle players, giant D-line rotation, and bend/break in nearly every important drive.

coached by whom? That's my concern. 

Edited January 27 by The Jokeman

[RunTheBall]

The local media including pod bros were all butt hurt because once again, they were completely scooped by national guys who have more inside access. The Bills never leak to the local guys, there’s a couple national guys who get the smoke. Sal is just a company man so he’s the propaganda arm of the Bills. 

 

Local guys were all on the “Gotta fire Beane, this is the best McD coaching job in years considering the talent” then Terry pulled the reverse Uno card and not only canned McD but promoted! Beane

 

It’s that promotion that got the local guys apoplectic including Podfather Joe Marino, who I subscribe to. I was a little shocked by the degree of venom towards Beane he displayed. I just expect the WGR guys to be negative 99% of the time. It’s like they miss the drought days where we could spend every day btching about everything and anything.

 

I was on the Clean House train. I can understand why Terry didn’t want to blow everything up with a new stadium and his family issues. Time will tell if he made the right decision but McD had to go. Should have been canned after 13 seconds, I think that’s what everyone is starting to realize given the quick turn around of other teams.

 

 

[Mr. WEO]

10 hours ago, HailMary said:

 

As a Bills fan: firing Sean McDermott was the right move in this moment. He built the culture, but the team outgrew his limitations. Late-game management issues, conservative instincts, and playoff breakdowns aren’t things you keep hoping will evolve when you’re in Josh Allen’s prime. A defensive “bend-don’t-break” mindset isn’t the answer anymore in a league where an aggressive Defence  and go-for-the-kill Offence decide January.

 

Now the media’s doing the predictable flip—nitpicking every interview like perfection is the bar. One answer is a red flag, the next candidate is “unproven.” That’s not insight, it’s overcorrection. And the Philip Rivers chatter says it all. The Bills were never hiring him. This front office is disciplined, not desperate. They didn’t move on from McDermott to panic-they did it to level up.

 

P.S. Let’s not rewrite history. Terry Pegula saved this franchise when it mattered and kept football in Buffalo. Brandon Beane ran the draft that landed the best football player in the world. Ownership aligned. Front office executed. Franchise quarterback secured. Stay locked into the goal. Ask the Broncos. Ask the Eagles. Ask the Rams or the Bucs—every Super Bowl team made uncomfortable decisions while the window was open. Stability doesn’t raise banners. The Bills are doing the same thing. Support the swing.

 

In his chaotic and disastrous presser,  the owner himself proved you wrong here....

 

Disciplined??  The owner pointed to his longtime GM and basically said he was a wallflower, silent while the HC ran roughshod over him for YEARS, until daddy rescued him from his basement shackles.

 

Not desperate?  Not panicked?? The owner waltzed into the locker room, saw his MVP QB sitting, weeping and, after gentling consoling poor Josh with some tender words (THAT WAS A CATCH!!!), he decided, right then and there, that he would fire his HC.

[Sharky7337]

The problem is mostly now that all the bills coverage people all work together (collaborate across platforms) and share the same takes so the first day or two they were all unbearable between Marino, wgr, and the rest. 

 

Usually joe is more level headed but he was just as bad as the rest this time around.

 

It's like dude go back and listen to your podcast right after the 13 seconds loss and the no accountability and how you felt then.

 

The narrative about this being sudden or rash was just ridiculous 

Edited January 27 by Sharky7337

[nuklz2594]

sean never learned the 6 "p's" of life. proper preparation prevents piss poor performance. 

[frostbitmic]

If the goal is to get to and win a Super Bowl then it was a move that needed to be made, probably a year too late. If just making the playoffs are "good enough" then it may have been a bad move.

 

Regular season record didn't get him fired, giving up 30+ in the divisional round of the playoffs every season did.

[PromoTheRobot]

45 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

 

I don't care. I want the owner to stay out of the way. Only worry about the business side of things.

 

Lol, how many people cry when Terry doesn't speak? Damned if you do...

[GroteStreet]

10 hours ago, HailMary said:

 

As a Bills fan: firing Sean McDermott was the right move in this moment. He built the culture, but the team outgrew his limitations. Late-game management issues, conservative instincts, and playoff breakdowns aren’t things you keep hoping will evolve when you’re in Josh Allen’s prime. A defensive “bend-don’t-break” mindset isn’t the answer anymore in a league where an aggressive Defence  and go-for-the-kill Offence decide January.

 

Now the media’s doing the predictable flip—nitpicking every interview like perfection is the bar. One answer is a red flag, the next candidate is “unproven.” That’s not insight, it’s overcorrection. And the Philip Rivers chatter says it all. The Bills were never hiring him. This front office is disciplined, not desperate. They didn’t move on from McDermott to panic-they did it to level up.

 

P.S. Let’s not rewrite history. Terry Pegula saved this franchise when it mattered and kept football in Buffalo. Brandon Beane ran the draft that landed the best football player in the world. Ownership aligned. Front office executed. Franchise quarterback secured. Stay locked into the goal. Ask the Broncos. Ask the Eagles. Ask the Rams or the Bucs—every Super Bowl team made uncomfortable decisions while the window was open. Stability doesn’t raise banners. The Bills are doing the same thing. Support the swing.

Excellent post.  All true.  People complaining about Pegula should realize almost any other owner would have moved the team by now.  Pegula is the reason Buffalo still has an NFL franchise.

[gomper]

23 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

The local media including pod bros were all butt hurt because once again, they were completely scooped by national guys who have more inside access. The Bills never leak to the local guys, there’s a couple national guys who get the smoke. Sal is just a company man so he’s the propaganda arm of the Bills. 

 

Local guys were all on the “Gotta fire Beane, this is the best McD coaching job in years considering the talent” then Terry pulled the reverse Uno card and not only canned McD but promoted! Beane

 

It’s that promotion that got the local guys apoplectic including Podfather Joe Marino, who I subscribe to. I was a little shocked by the degree of venom towards Beane he displayed. I just expect the WGR guys to be negative 99% of the time. It’s like they miss the drought days where we could spend every day btching about everything and anything.

 

I was on the Clean House train. I can understand why Terry didn’t want to blow everything up with a new stadium and his family issues. Time will tell if he made the right decision but McD had to go. Should have been canned after 13 seconds, I think that’s what everyone is starting to realize given the quick turn around of other teams.

 

 

Yet another example of thousands, that GR is terrible.

[T master]

10 hours ago, HailMary said:

 

As a Bills fan: firing Sean McDermott was the right move in this moment. He built the culture, but the team outgrew his limitations. Late-game management issues, conservative instincts, and playoff breakdowns aren’t things you keep hoping will evolve when you’re in Josh Allen’s prime. A defensive “bend-don’t-break” mindset isn’t the answer anymore in a league where an aggressive Defence  and go-for-the-kill Offence decide January.

 

Now the media’s doing the predictable flip—nitpicking every interview like perfection is the bar. One answer is a red flag, the next candidate is “unproven.” That’s not insight, it’s overcorrection. And the Philip Rivers chatter says it all. The Bills were never hiring him. This front office is disciplined, not desperate. They didn’t move on from McDermott to panic-they did it to level up.

 

P.S. Let’s not rewrite history. Terry Pegula saved this franchise when it mattered and kept football in Buffalo. Brandon Beane ran the draft that landed the best football player in the world. Ownership aligned. Front office executed. Franchise quarterback secured. Stay locked into the goal. Ask the Broncos. Ask the Eagles. Ask the Rams or the Bucs—every Super Bowl team made uncomfortable decisions while the window was open. Stability doesn’t raise banners. The Bills are doing the same thing. Support the swing.

So are you taking into consideration that FACT that the last 2 play off break downs were a direct result of the referee's F ing the Bills out of a chance to advance & that the NFL & others may have played a factor in it ?? If nothing else the refs definitely did !!! 

 

Neither of the last 2 season losses in the play offs were McD's fault !! This season alls it would have taken is 1 play called correctly by the refs and the Bills are in the AFC championship game and would have waxed the Pats - AGAIN !! 

 

Last season as we all remember the game against the Chiefs the Bills got screwed again on more than 1 call by the Refs and if you agree with all of the calls that those refs made then you don't deserve to be a part of this fan base because both games were total 100 % BS when it comes to the refs & their calls .

 

Okay I will give you there was definitely a break down in the 13 second game, I'm not sure & we as fans will never know who called the defensive line up when Kelsey ran free to make that catch, but Frazier being the DC at that time & as a fan thinking that he called it & was let go then that was the right call . 

 

If McD did an over ride & made the call then yes it's on him but I for one will bet he learned from that mistake as he has from others . Then if you take into consideration that at the time of some of this McD was still a very inexperienced HC still learning, never being in some of the situations he found him self in and if the Bills are IMHO foolish enough to hire another inexperienced HC the team & us as fans will go through the exact same thing all over again .

 

I believe there is more to this story than what we know because as they say there is always 3 sides to every story - my side , your side , & the truth !! 

 

One day when McD, Beane & Pegula are all retired and sitting around a fire somewhere a family member may here some of what went on exactly to cause this but we as the fan base never will know exactly what or why it did !!

[PaoloBillsFanFromItaly]

I love Sean McDermott and I'll be always thankful to him, but I was also advocating a change.

It is not acceptable to face always the same problems, years after years, most notably, run defense.

[SoTier]

10 hours ago, HailMary said:

 

As a Bills fan: firing Sean McDermott was the right move in this moment. He built the culture, but the team outgrew his limitations. Late-game management issues, conservative instincts, and playoff breakdowns aren’t things you keep hoping will evolve when you’re in Josh Allen’s prime. A defensive “bend-don’t-break” mindset isn’t the answer anymore in a league where an aggressive Defence  and go-for-the-kill Offence decide January.

 

Now the media’s doing the predictable flip—nitpicking every interview like perfection is the bar. One answer is a red flag, the next candidate is “unproven.” That’s not insight, it’s overcorrection. And the Philip Rivers chatter says it all. The Bills were never hiring him. This front office is disciplined, not desperate. They didn’t move on from McDermott to panic-they did it to level up.

 

P.S. Let’s not rewrite history. Terry Pegula saved this franchise when it mattered and kept football in Buffalo. Brandon Beane ran the draft that landed the best football player in the world. Ownership aligned. Front office executed. Franchise quarterback secured. Stay locked into the goal. Ask the Broncos. Ask the Eagles. Ask the Rams or the Bucs—every Super Bowl team made uncomfortable decisions while the window was open. Stability doesn’t raise banners. The Bills are doing the same thing. Support the swing.

 

6 hours ago, folz said:

 

 

It all depends on what you think is an "emotional decision." Was emotion, particularly seeing the emotion in the locker room (as Terry himself stated), a part of the decision, yes. But was it a rash decision? I don't think so. [To an extent, that is just semantics, but I think you'll see what I mean.]

 

You have to remember that Terry has lived through everything we have (all of the playoff loses, etc.) but to an even elevated degree, because there is actually pressure on him to win (to make decisions and empower people). He's not just watching it, he's living it. He is also a man who runs other businesses and has to make big decisions, hire people, fire people, etc. It's not like he's emotionally immature, and just threw a tantrum and fired Sean.

 

Now, the difference between a rash decision and an emotional decision is that a rash decision is made without the full information or a consideration of the consequences. Do you really think that Terry has never contemplated firing Sean prior to that locker room? That he doesn't have the full information about Sean and his tenure? And that he's never thought about the consequences of if he did fire him? Some fans have been calling for him to be fired for 4-5 years. Of course Terry has thought about it. And things build up. Was everything perfect before the Denver game and then out of the blue Terry fired Sean? Or was it an accumulation of 5-7 years worth of disappointment and not getting the job done? 

 

Don't get too hung up on the "emotional decision" automatically meaning it's a bad/totally unprepared decision.

 

Secondly, how else do coaches get fired? There is never a good time. Things just build up and build up until ownership decides there needs to be a change. I don't think any coaching firings are well planned out, especially a year in advance to think about who else may or may not fire their coach, or who or who is not available. That's just not how it happens. And once you feel that way, you can't keep that coach another year just because you aren't sure the pool of candidates is good enough or there are too many other teams looking (especially when you are one of the more attractive jobs). The next season would be doomed from the start. 

 

And thank goodness we missed out on Harbaugh, Harbaugh, and Payton. Wouldn't want any of those guys. Johnson and Coen look like very good hires from last year (Vrable wasn't going anywhere besides NE and I wouldn't want him), but there is no guarantee that is who the Bills would have wanted and/or that those coaches would have taken the Bills job if offered. A lot of factors are involved in why a coach wants to go to certain teams over others (more than just QB, though that is big). And who is to say for sure that Johnson and Coen will be better in the long run than a Kubiak, Udinski, Webb, etc. May look that way at the moment, but we don't know.

 

Sure, you could maybe say that Terry should have fired Sean last year (because of the candidates in 2025), but that is a different conversation from whether it was a good decision or not to do it this year.

 

 

 

Having said all of that (and this part is not directed at you FitzShowUsYourTitz), we also don't need to kick Sean when he's down. Decision made, wish him well, let's move on. No need to keep trashing a guy who did so much for this franchise and fanbase, an all-time Bills head Coach. I don't think anyone can fault Sean for culture, work ethic, leadership, and effort. We all know what happened on the field (the good and the bad). But he deserves our respect. The guy absolutely poured his guts out trying to bring a Lombardi to Buffalo, just didn't happen. But he did turn this franchise from a laughing stock into a well-respected contender.

 

 

The posts above are two of the best that have been posted on TSW in a long time.   Thank you both, @HailMary and @folz.

 

2 hours ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Totally agree.  Terry made minimal sense

at his press conference.  They say it’s better to be lucky than good though, so maybe this will still work out for the team.  

 

Have you ever had to address a room full of people????    Answer their random questions????   I suggest you try it some time.  

 

Edited January 27 by SoTier

[Marcus Aurelius]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

People forget we still have a team to beyotch about only because of Terry Pegula.  The Bills were that close to becoming the Toronto Bon Jovis if Terry didn't "overpay" for the team. He gets a lifetime of indulgences from me for that. Sorry if that upsets some of you. He ain't perfect but who is?

Did you give a "lifetime of indulgences" to Ralph?

[mjt328]

10 hours ago, HailMary said:

As a Bills fan: firing Sean McDermott was the right move in this moment. He built the culture, but the team outgrew his limitations. Late-game management issues, conservative instincts, and playoff breakdowns aren’t things you keep hoping will evolve when you’re in Josh Allen’s prime. A defensive “bend-don’t-break” mindset isn’t the answer anymore in a league where an aggressive Defence  and go-for-the-kill Offence decide January.

 

Now the media’s doing the predictable flip—nitpicking every interview like perfection is the bar. One answer is a red flag, the next candidate is “unproven.” That’s not insight, it’s overcorrection. And the Philip Rivers chatter says it all. The Bills were never hiring him. This front office is disciplined, not desperate. They didn’t move on from McDermott to panic-they did it to level up.

 

P.S. Let’s not rewrite history. Terry Pegula saved this franchise when it mattered and kept football in Buffalo. Brandon Beane ran the draft that landed the best football player in the world. Ownership aligned. Front office executed. Franchise quarterback secured. Stay locked into the goal. Ask the Broncos. Ask the Eagles. Ask the Rams or the Bucs—every Super Bowl team made uncomfortable decisions while the window was open. Stability doesn’t raise banners. The Bills are doing the same thing. Support the swing.

 

Much of what a Head Coach brings to the locker room is confidence, motivation and belief.

 

There is a certain point when even good coaches lose that leadership edge over the locker room, and it's best for both sides to start over.  There is a reason that no HC/QB combination has EVER won their first Super Bowl after five years together.  

• Andy Reid is a great coach.  He had a very good roster and very good QB (Donovan McNabb) in Philadelphia.  But there was a certain point where it became clear he wasn't getting them over the hump.  The break allowed both the Eagles and Reid to start over clean, and it worked for both sides in the end.

• Tony Dungy was another good coach.  He was unable to get the Bucs across the finish line, despite one of the best defenses in NFL history.  He was replaced with Jon Gruden, who led them to a Super Bowl.  Dungy went to the Colts (who also were struggling to get over the top with Peyton Manning), and helped them hoist the Lombardi.

• Dan Reeves took the Broncos/John Elway to the Super Bowl a handful of times, but couldn't win it all.  Denver replaced him with Mike Shanahan, and they ended up getting two before Elway finally retired.

• Marv Levy remained as the Bills coach, despite four Super Bowl losses.  By the end (and I even remember this as a teenager), the confidence to win it all was gone once we reached the big game.  People may hate to hear it.  But maybe Buffalo made a mistake not moving on after the 3rd loss...

 

I think Terry Pegula would have considered firing Sean McDermott anyway.  But when he saw the players in the locker room after the Denver game, he realized they were mentally gone.  To break through, it was going to take a new voice and a new approach.

[Don Otreply]

The strictly emotional thought process by some fans and the media proves that critical thinking may be a thing of the past. 
 

Sean did what he was capable of, and was ultimately unable to take the team further, his errors in critical moments sealed his fate, he was given way move than enough chances to redeem himself, he had to be let go, the evidence has been plainly and clearly shown to us all. 
 

GO BILLS!!!

[JP51]

10 hours ago, US Egg said:

That so much stock is put into what sports media entertainers spout is…..well, good for them that’s for sure.

This is so true... when there were actual reporters with insight and objectivity... lets say Larry Felser... you could put some stock in their thoughts... but in a 24/7 news arena, with 197 different news outlets competing with 2345 wanna be bloggers.... they are looking for clicks... they are interested in sultry speculation, calling people idiots, honing in on any facet that can be a mistake... etc etc... I honestly put more faith in some of the opinions of some of the posters on this board than I do the media in general... in my opinion it has sunk to the level of TMZ... 

[US Egg]

4 minutes ago, JP51 said:

I honestly put more faith in some of the opinions of some of the posters on this board than I do the media in general

This place has it all. Info, perspective, educational, enlightenment, news updates, good reads, bad reads, drama, comedy and it’s therapeutic. No need for the outside world. I need a 12 step program to break the chain from this place. 😵‍💫

[Mikie2times]

11 hours ago, FitzShowUsYourTitz said:

Oh God

Hey I get it. McD needed to be gone but…

 

There was zero strategy here.  McD shoulda been fired years ago.  
Terry and I don’t think anyone can disagree, made an emotional decision to get rid of the coach. It’s valid.  But you rely on the leaders of your organization to have an actual strategy and plan going forward, which they clearly did not.  
 

No planning ahead of time, no key replacement waiting in the wings.  
Just fire him and then figure it out.  
 

10 teams hiring coaches this year.  No more Harbough… or the other Harbough or Sean Peyton or Johnson.  
 

And then there’s the roster. Objectively it lacks talent and we have serious cap issues.  
And the guy still making the draft pics and signing the FA’s is the same guy.  
 

Let’s hope it works out but it may or may not. Can we all agree a strategy here is far better than making an emotional decision that needed to be made.  
 

And the media doesn’t matter here. Flame away

 

GoBills 

If your wife has cheated on you in the past and one day you walk home and find her in bed with another man and in that moment, angry, frustrated, and fed up you tell her to pack her crap and get out, is that an emotional decision? Probably. But it's also a pretty logical decision.